Bad sleep: a comprehensive solution to the problem. What to do if you have trouble sleeping at night How to understand that it is insomnia
It is impossible to live without it. We are talking about an unpleasant and vague state called anxiety or restlessness. Such feelings arise when a person expects something bad: bad news, an unfavorable course of events or the outcome of something. Although many people view anxiety as something negative, it cannot be considered 100% bad or good. In some situations it can even be useful. Which ones exactly? Let's figure it out together.
Anxiety disorder: what is it?
First of all, it’s worth noting that worry and anxiety have little in common with the concept of “fear.” The latter is objective - something causes it. Anxiety can arise for no apparent reason and disturb a person for a long time.One type of disorder that a person may experience is anxiety disorder. This is a specific psycho-emotional state that has its own symptoms. From time to time, every individual may experience anxiety due to certain circumstances.
The appearance of anxiety is a fairly serious signal, indicating that changes are occurring in the body. Therefore, we can conclude that anxiety and worry are a unique factor in a person’s adaptation to his environment, but only if the anxiety is not excessively expressed and does not cause discomfort to the person.
Why do anxiety disorders occur?
Despite all the achievements of science and technology, scientists and doctors have still not been able to determine in detail who they are - the main “culprits” that cause such a pathology as anxiety. For some people, anxiety and restlessness may appear without any apparent reason or irritating objects. The main causes of anxiety can be considered:- Stressful situations (anxiety arises as the body’s response to a stimulus).
- Serious somatic diseases (themselves are a cause of concern. The most common of them are bronchial asthma, diseases of the cardiovascular system, brain injuries, disorders of the endocrine system, etc.).
- Taking certain medications and drugs (for example, abruptly stopping the constant use of sedatives can cause groundless worries).
- An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air (contributes to the aggravation of anxiety and a more painful perception of the pathological condition).
- Individual characteristics of temperament (some people are very susceptible to any changes in the environment and react to changes by being fearful, withdrawn, restless, shy or anxious).
Scientists identify two main theories for the emergence of anxiety pathologies
Psychoanalytic. This approach considers anxiety as a kind of signal indicating the formation of an unacceptable need, which the “suffering” tries to prevent on an unconscious level. In such a situation, the symptoms of anxiety are quite vague and represent a partial containment of a prohibited need or its repression.Biological. He says that any anxiety is the result of biological abnormalities in the body. At the same time, against the background of changes in the body, active production of neurotransmitters occurs.
Anxiety and anxiety disorder (video)
Informational video about the causes, symptoms, types and effective methods of treatment and getting rid of this unpleasant phenomenon.
Alarming symptoms
First of all, it is determined by the individual characteristics of a person and his psycho-emotional state. Someone begins to worry for no reason quite suddenly. For some people, a small irritating factor is enough to create a feeling of anxiety (for example, watching a news broadcast with another portion of not very pleasant news).Some people are fighters who actively resist negative thoughts and obsessive fears. Others live in a state of round-the-clock tension, trying not to notice that obvious pathology causes some discomfort.
Anxious pathologies manifest themselves in life physical or emotional symptoms.
Emotions come first. They show themselves to be immeasurable fear, unjustified anxiety, excessive irritability, inability to concentrate, as well as excessive emotional anxiety.
Physical manifestations. They occur no less often and, as a rule, always accompany emotional symptoms. These include: rapid pulse and frequent urge to empty the bladder, tremors of the limbs, profuse sweating, muscle spasms, shortness of breath,.
Additional Information. Often a person can confuse the physical manifestations of an alarming pathology and mistake them for diseases of organs or their systems.
Depression and anxiety: is there a relationship?
People suffering from prolonged depression know firsthand what an anxiety disorder is. Doctors are convinced that depression and anxiety disorders are concepts that are closely related. Therefore, they almost always accompany each other. At the same time, there is a close psycho-emotional relationship between them: anxiety can increase the depressive state, and depression, in turn, increases the state of anxiety.Generalized anxiety disorder
A special type of mental disorder that involves general anxiety over a long period of time. At the same time, the feeling of restlessness and anxiety has nothing to do with any event, object or situation.Generalized anxiety disorders are characterized by:
- duration (sustainability for six months or more);
- generalization (anxiety manifests itself in anticipation of something bad in everyday life, bad premonitions);
- non-fixation (the feeling of anxiety has no restrictions regarding the events and factors that cause it).
Main symptoms of generalized disorder:
- concerns(feelings that are almost impossible to control, disturbing a person for a long time);
- motor voltage(manifested by muscle spasms, migraines, trembling in the arms and legs, inability to relax for a long time);
- central nervous system hyperactivity(the main manifestations are excessive sweating, dizziness, rapid pulse, dry mouth, etc.);
- gastrointestinal(, increased gas formation, );
- respiratory(difficulty breathing, feeling of tightness in the chest, etc.);
- urogenital(in representatives of the stronger sex it may manifest itself as a lack of erection or decreased libido, in women – menstrual irregularities).
Generalized disorder and sleep
In most cases, people suffering from this type of disorder suffer from insomnia. Difficulties arise when falling asleep. Immediately after sleep, you may feel a slight feeling of anxiety. Nightmares are common companions for people suffering from generalized anxiety disorders.Additional Information. Generalized disorders often lead to fatigue and exhaustion of the body due to prolonged lack of a good, restful night's sleep.
How to recognize a person with generalized disorder
Individuals with this type of anxiety disorder stand out from healthy people. The face and body are always tense, the eyebrows are frowned, the skin is pale, and the person himself is anxious and restless. Many patients are detached from the world around them, withdrawn and depressed.Generalized anxiety disorder: symptoms and treatment (video)
Anxiety disorders - a danger signal or a harmless phenomenon? Generalized anxiety disorder: symptoms and basic treatment methods.Anxiety-depressive disorder
The quality of a person’s life largely depends on his psycho-emotional state. A real scourge of our time has become such a disease as anxiety-depressive disorder. An illness can qualitatively change an individual’s life for the worse.Another name for disorders of this type, which is more used and well known in society, is neurotic disorders (neuroses). They represent a combination of different symptoms, as well as a lack of awareness of the presence of a psychogenic type of disease.
Additional Information. The risk of developing neurosis during the life of an average person is 20-25%. Only a third of people turn to specialists for qualified help.
Symptoms of disorders of this type are divided into two types of manifestations: clinical and vegetative.
Clinical symptoms. Here, first of all, we are talking about sudden mood swings, a constant feeling of obsessive anxiety, decreased concentration, absent-mindedness, reduced ability to perceive and assimilate new information.
Autonomic symptoms. They may manifest themselves as increased sweating, rapid heartbeat, frequent urge to urinate, abdominal cramps, body tremors or chills.
Most of the above symptoms are experienced by many people in a banal stressful situation. To be diagnosed with anxiety-depressive disorder, a combination of at least several symptoms is necessary that torment a person for months.
Who's at risk
More prone to anxiety and restlessness:- Women. Due to greater emotionality, nervousness and the ability to accumulate and not release nervous tension for a long time. One of the factors that provoke neuroses in women is sudden changes in hormonal levels - during pregnancy, before menstruation, during menopause, during lactation, etc.
- Unemployed. They are more likely to develop anxiety and depressive disorders than employed individuals. For most people, the lack of a permanent job and financial independence is a depressing factor, which quite often leads to the development of harmful habits - alcoholism, smoking and even drug addiction.
- People with a hereditary predisposition to the occurrence of anxiety disorders (children whose parents suffered or suffer from anxiety disorders are at greater risk of developing an unpleasant illness).
- Elderly people(after a person loses a sense of his own social significance - he retires, children start their own family, one of his friends dies, etc., he often develops neurotic-type disorders).
- People suffering from serious physical illnesses.
Panic attacks
Another special type of anxiety disorder is anxiety disorder, which is characterized by the same symptoms as other types of anxiety disorder (restlessness, rapid heart rate, sweating, etc.). The duration of panic attacks can vary from a few minutes to an hour. Most often, such attacks occur involuntarily. Sometimes - under severe stress, alcohol abuse, mental stress. During panic attacks, a person can completely lose control of himself and even go crazy.Diagnosis of anxiety disorders
Only a psychiatrist can make a diagnosis. To confirm the diagnosis, it is necessary that the primary symptoms of the disease persist for several weeks or months.Diagnosis problems rarely arise. It is more problematic to determine the specific type of such disorder, since most of them have similar symptoms.
Most often, during an appointment, the psychiatrist conducts special psychological tests. They allow you to clarify the diagnosis and study the essence of the problem in more detail.
If there is a suspicion that the patient has an anxiety disorder, the doctor evaluates the following points:
- the presence or absence of a set of characteristic symptoms;
- duration of anxiety symptoms;
- whether anxiety is a banal reaction to a stressful situation;
- Is there any relationship between symptoms and the presence of diseases of organs and their systems?
Important! In the process of diagnosing anxiety disorders, the need to determine the causes and provoking factors that led to the emergence or worsening of complaints comes first.
Basic treatment methods
Basic treatments for various types of anxiety disorders:Anti-anxiety drug treatment. Prescribed in case of aggravated course of the disease and may include taking:
- antidepressants;
- beta blockers;
- tranquilizers.
Important! Drug therapy has a positive effect only in combination with psychotherapy sessions.
Anti-anxiety psychotherapy. The main task is to rid a person of negative thinking patterns, as well as thoughts that increase anxiety. To eliminate excessive anxiety, in most cases, 5 to 20 sessions of psychotherapy are sufficient.
Confrontation. One of the ways to treat increased anxiety. The essence of the method is to create an alarming situation in which a person experiences fear in an environment that is not dangerous for him. The main task of the patient is to take control of the situation and cope with his emotions. Repeated repetition of such a situation and a way out of it instills in a person confidence in his own abilities and reduces the level of anxiety.
Hypnosis. A quick and quite effective way to get rid of annoying anxiety disorder. During hypnosis, the therapist brings the patient face to face with his fears and helps him overcome them.
Physical rehabilitation. A special thirty-minute set of exercises, most of which are borrowed from yoga, helps relieve nervous tension, fatigue, excessive anxiety and improve overall well-being.
In most cases, anxiety disorders do not require medication. Symptoms of the disease recede on their own after a conversation with a professional psychiatrist or psychologist, during which the specialist voices convincing arguments and helps to look differently at one’s own anxiety, worry, fears and the reasons that cause them.
Treatment of anxiety disorders in children
In the situation with children, behavioral therapy in combination with drug treatment comes to the rescue. It is generally accepted that behavioral therapy is the most effective method of relieving anxiety.During psychotherapy sessions, the doctor models situations that cause fear and negative reactions in the child, and helps to select a set of measures that can prevent the occurrence of negative manifestations. Drug therapy in most cases gives a short-term and less effective effect.
Prevention measures
As soon as the first “alarm bells” appear, you should not put off your visit to the doctor and wait for everything to go away on its own. Anxiety disorders significantly worsen an individual's quality of life and tend to be chronic. You should visit a psychotherapist in a timely manner, who will help you get rid of anxiety as quickly as possible and forget about the problem.To cope with daily stress and worry and prevent the development of an anxiety disorder, you should:
- adjust your diet (if you cannot eat regularly and nutritiously, then you should regularly take special vitamin complexes);
- If possible, limit the consumption of coffee, strong tea, and alcohol (these products can cause sleep disturbances and lead to panic attacks);
- do not neglect rest (half an hour of doing what you love, which brings pleasure, will help relieve stress, excessive fatigue and anxiety);
- exclude from the to-do list those that do not provide satisfaction and cause negative emotions;
- do not forget about physical activity (playing sports or banal cleaning the house will help you switch gears and make the body “forget” about the problem);
- try not to get nervous over trifles (reconsider your attitude towards anxiety and the factors that cause it).
Next article.
Sleep is a complex physiological act, during which a “reboot” of the basic processes of the nervous system occurs. Daily rest is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Restless sleep is a pathological condition in which a person sleeps, but his brain continues to be active. Why does this happen and what consequences can it lead to: let's figure it out.
Restless sleep in an adult: causes of the condition
The main factors causing restless sleep in adults include:
- unfinished business that causes anxious thoughts;
- increased nervous excitability, excessive emotionality or, on the contrary, an attempt to always control one’s emotions (see);
- stress (death of a loved one, dismissal from work, divorce);
- uncontrolled intake of stimulants (coffee, alcohol, drugs, etc.);
- regular violations of the daily routine due to frequent flights, night shift work;
- exacerbation of bronchial asthma (shortness of breath in patients with chronic respiratory diseases increases, usually at night);
- arthritis, rheumatism, and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system, manifested by pain;
- gastrointestinal disorders;
- cardiovascular diseases (see);
- neurological and mental disorders (see).
Restless sleep in an adult, the causes and treatment of which are discussed in this article, is a fairly common pathology. Up to 75% of the planet's population has encountered it at least once.
How does restless sleep manifest?
Restless sleep in an adult, depending on the cause, can manifest itself as:
- shuddering, twitching - involuntary muscle work caused by the presence of active, “non-sleeping” areas in the brain;
- bruxism - unpleasant grinding of teeth, which can impair breathing;
- night terrors, nightmares. A person wakes up in a cold sweat, his heart rate is rapid, and his breathing is intermittent.
The nature of the dream itself also changes:
- a person cannot fall asleep for a long time, tosses and turns in bed, and hundreds of thoughts appear and then end in his head;
- the dream is very disturbing, sensitive: awakening occurs at the slightest sound;
- after normal falling asleep, very early wakefulness may occur (at three to four o'clock in the morning). Afterwards, sleep either does not come at all, or becomes exhausting, intermittent, filled with disturbing dreams;
- severe weakness during the daytime: no energy for work or study, chronic fatigue, constantly want to sleep;
- negative emotions before a night's rest, fear that you won't be able to get enough sleep again.
Why is there no strength in the body? The fact is that restless sleep can hardly be called complete, and it does not provide the need for rest that is so necessary for every person. All systems, especially the nervous system, work hard, and sooner or later they will fail.
Restless sleep: principles of treatment
The body's powerlessness during restless sleep is a signal for help. What to do when you have no strength and weakness interferes with normal life and work? To normalize sleep, it is important to identify and eliminate the cause of sleep disturbance:
- try to forget about everything when you cross the threshold of the bedroom. The ability to “switch” is an important point in the health of the nervous system;
- You can't always cope with stress on your own. Don’t avoid the problem, seek help from a specialist (psychologist or psychotherapist);
- try to adjust your daily routine. If sleep problems are caused by constant business trips and frequent night shifts, you may need to change jobs;
- all chronic diseases accompanied by pain, shortness of breath and other unpleasant symptoms, which usually worsen at night, require timely diagnosis and treatment. Be sure to contact a therapist with your complaints.
- Make your bed a place for sleeping only. Don't spend much waking time lying down.
- Create a rough daily routine and try to go to bed at approximately the same time.
- Avoid daytime naps, no matter how much you want to rest.
- Put the clock away in the bedroom.
- Do not watch TV, avoid noisy active activities at least 2 hours before going to bed. Devote the evening to reading and communicating with loved ones.
- Avoid alcohol, coffee and tobacco. But warm milk will help you relax and get ready for sleep.
- Don't pass it on. But don’t go to bed hungry: if you’re hungry, drink a glass of kefir or nibble on an apple.
- Create a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom.
Traditional methods will also help you cope with the problem of falling asleep.
Milk-honey drink
Ingredients:
- honey – 1 tsp;
- dill juice – 1 tsp;
- milk – 1 glass.
Pour warm milk over honey and fresh dill juice and take it in the evening if you have problems falling asleep.
Pumpkin decoction
Ingredients:
- fresh pumpkin – 200 g;
- honey – 1 tsp.
Peel the pumpkin, cut into small cubes, pour 250 ml of boiling water and cook over low heat for a quarter of an hour. Strain, add honey and take half a glass before bed.
We figured out the causes and symptoms of the condition, as well as why restless sleep causes impotence in the body, and what to do to improve night's rest. In addition to identifying the main cause of the problem, which is not always hidden in disorders of the nervous system, it is important to pay attention to the environment at home and establish a bedtime routine. A psychotherapist studies sleep problems. It is worth turning to him for long-term insomnia and restless, disturbing sleep.
Every person is periodically in a state of worries And anxiety . If anxiety manifests itself in connection with a clearly defined reason, then this is a normal, everyday occurrence. But if such a condition occurs, at first glance, for no reason, then it may signal health problems.
How does anxiety manifest itself?
Excitement , anxiety , anxiety manifested by an obsessive feeling of anticipation of certain troubles. In this case, the person is in a depressed mood, internal anxiety forces a partial or complete loss of interest in the activity that previously seemed pleasant to him. Anxiety is often accompanied by headaches, problems with sleep and appetite. Sometimes the heart rhythm is disturbed, and attacks of rapid heartbeat occur periodically.
As a rule, a person experiences constant anxiety in his soul against the background of alarming and uncertain life situations. These could be worries about personal problems, illnesses of loved ones, dissatisfaction with professional success. Fear and anxiety often accompany the process of waiting for important events or any results that are of paramount importance to a person. He tries to find the answer to the question of how to overcome the feeling of anxiety, but in most cases he cannot get rid of this condition.
A constant feeling of anxiety is accompanied by internal tension, which may manifest itself in some external symptoms - trembling , muscle tension . Feelings of anxiety and restlessness bring the body into a state of constant " combat readiness" Fear and anxiety prevent a person from sleeping normally and concentrating on important matters. As a result, so-called social anxiety appears, associated with the need to interact in society.
The constant feeling of inner restlessness may worsen later. Added to this are some specific fears. Sometimes motor restlessness manifests itself - constant involuntary movements.
It is quite clear that such a condition significantly worsens the quality of life, so a person begins to look for an answer to the question of how to get rid of feelings of anxiety. But before taking any sedatives, you should definitely establish the exact causes of anxiety. This is possible subject to a comprehensive examination and consultation with a doctor who will tell you how to get rid of anxiety. If the patient bad dream, and anxiety constantly haunts him, it is important to determine the original cause of this condition. Prolonged stay in this state is fraught with serious depression. By the way, a mother’s anxiety can be transmitted to her baby. Therefore, the child’s anxiety during feeding is often associated with the mother’s anxiety.
The extent to which anxiety and fear are inherent in a person depends to a certain extent on a number of personal qualities of the person. It is important who he is - a pessimist or an optimist, how stable he is psychologically, how high a person’s self-esteem is, etc.
Why does anxiety occur?
Worry and anxiety can be a symptom of serious mental illness. Those people who are constantly in a state of anxiety, in most cases have certain psychological problems and are prone to.
Most mental illnesses are accompanied by a state of anxiety. Anxiety is characteristic of different periods, for the initial stage of neuroses. Severe anxiety is observed in a person dependent on alcohol when withdrawal syndrome . Quite often there is a combination of anxiety with a number of phobias, irritability, etc. In some diseases, anxiety is accompanied by delirium and.
However, in some somatic diseases, anxiety also appears as one of the symptoms. At hypertension People often have a high degree of anxiety.
Anxiety may also accompany hyperfunction of the thyroid gland , hormonal disorders during the period in women. Sometimes sharp anxiety fails as a harbinger of a sharp drop in blood sugar levels in patients.
How to get rid of anxiety?
Before pondering the question of how to relieve an anxious state, it is necessary to determine whether the anxiety is natural, or whether the anxiety is so serious that it requires consultation with a specialist.
There are a number of signs that indicate that a person will not be able to cope with anxiety without visiting a doctor. You should definitely consult a specialist if symptoms of anxiety appear constantly, which affects daily life, work, and leisure. At the same time, excitement and anxiety haunt a person for weeks.
Anxious neurotic conditions that recur consistently in the form of attacks should be considered a serious symptom. A person constantly worries that something in his life will go wrong, while his muscles tense, he becomes fussy.
You should definitely consult a doctor if anxiety conditions in children and adults are accompanied by dizziness, heavy sweating, and work disturbances. Gastrointestinal tract, dry mouth. Often, an anxiety-depressive state worsens over time and leads to.
There are a number of medications that are used in the comprehensive treatment of anxiety and anxiety conditions. However, before determining how to get rid of an anxiety state, the doctor needs to establish an accurate diagnosis, determining which disease and why could have provoked this symptom. Conduct an examination and determine how to treat the patient, must psychotherapist . During the examination, laboratory tests of blood and urine are required, and ECG. Sometimes the patient needs consultation with other specialists - an endocrinologist, a neurologist.
Most often, tranquilizers and antidepressants are used in the treatment of diseases that provoke anxiety and restlessness. The attending physician may also prescribe a course of tranquilizers during therapy. However, treatment of anxiety with psychotropic drugs is symptomatic. Consequently, such drugs do not relieve the causes of anxiety. Therefore, relapses of this condition are possible later, and anxiety may appear in an altered form. Sometimes anxiety begins to bother a woman when pregnancy . How to remove this symptom in this case, only a doctor should decide, since taking any medications by the expectant mother can be very dangerous.
Some specialists prefer to use exclusively psychotherapy methods in the treatment of anxiety. Sometimes psychotherapeutic techniques are accompanied by taking medications. Some additional treatment methods are also practiced, for example, auto-training and breathing exercises.
In folk medicine, there are many recipes that are used to overcome anxiety. A good effect can be obtained by regularly taking herbal teas , which include herbs with sedative effects. This mint, Melissa, valerian, motherwort etc. However, you can feel the effect of using herbal teas only after constantly taking such a remedy for a long time. In addition, folk remedies should be used only as an auxiliary method, since without timely consultation with a doctor, you can miss the onset of very serious diseases.
Another important factor in overcoming anxiety is the right way of life . A person should not sacrifice rest for the sake of labor feats. It is important to get enough sleep every day and eat right. Caffeine abuse and smoking can aggravate anxiety.
A relaxing effect can be achieved with a professional massage. Deep massage effectively relieves anxiety. We should not forget how much exercise improves your mood. Daily physical activity will always keep you in good shape and prevent your anxiety from getting worse. Sometimes a brisk walk for an hour in the fresh air is enough to improve your mood.
To control his emotions, a person must carefully analyze everything that happens to him. Clearly identifying the cause that caused anxiety helps you focus and switch to positive thinking.
Poor sleep is a consequence of daytime experiences and the cause of increased fatigue, poor health and nervous disorders. Few people know that sleep disturbance can lead to very serious consequences for the body. Among them are malfunctions in the functioning of organs and systems, the development of dangerous diseases, including cancer, the occurrence of depression, and decreased performance.
Manifestation of poor sleep
Poor sleep can manifest itself in different ways. A person cannot fall asleep for a long time in the evening and often wakes up during the night. During sleep, internal tension and a state of anxiety are felt, which intensifies on the eve of any significant events. Insomnia is a disease without age or gender. It is generally accepted that more than 30% of men and 35% of women worldwide have experienced this disease. This problem is known to representatives of the older generation, middle-aged people and even young children.
Possible causes of poor sleep
Bad sleep does not happen without a reason. This is a dangerous sign, which indicates that a person’s “biological clock” has malfunctioned. As a rule, it is caused by a whole complex of prerequisites. Among them is a disruption in the passage of biochemical reaction cycles. Normally, our body at a certain time produces a whole complex of hormones and enzymes that trigger the mechanisms of “falling asleep” - the speed of reactions decreases, mental and physiological processes slow down, blood pressure decreases, and the production of adrenaline goes to zero. The body falls into a sound and healthy sleep. However, if these mechanisms fail, then everything goes differently: “activity hormones” continue to be released into the blood, neural connections are disrupted, and the person experiences serious problems because he cannot fall asleep.
Treatment for poor sleep
If problems of this kind are the rule rather than the exception, then drastic measures must be taken. Treatment of poor sleep is carried out comprehensively. Increasing physical activity and physical activity during the day, following a routine, and changing your diet helps a lot. Scientists have proven that a lack of certain components can worsen insomnia. So, for example, deficiency of vitamin B6, which is known as pyridoxine, has a detrimental effect on the course of many reactions in organs and tissues, including nerves.
Vitamin deficiency
Due to vitamin B6 deficiency, a person will eventually face the problem of insomnia. The nervous system will become unstable and will need strengthening. In addition to physiological procedures, the use of appropriate medications will be useful. Thus, treatment of poor sleep should begin with taking vitamins containing beneficial substances that stabilize the nervous system.
In addition to pyridoxine, when treating poor sleep, it is necessary to use drugs containing magnesium and calcium. These microelements, in combination with B6, have a positive effect on the higher parts of the central nervous system, helping the body cope with emotional stress, depression, and neuroses, which are often the causes of insomnia.
If the quality of sleep is disturbed, it is recommended to take vitamin B6 and magnesium in combination, 1 tablet 1 time per day with meals. Calcium and magnesium restore the balance of these minerals in the body, thereby improving well-being and normalizing sleep.
- Vitamin B-6. Pyridoxine;
- Magnesium complex;
- KALMAG.
INTERMITTENT SLEEP:
Interrupted sleep takes a toll on your mental and physical health. Find out how you can effectively deal with this problem.
Adequate sleep is one of the most important components of a healthy human life. Depending on physiological characteristics, a person’s sleep should last from 6 to 8 hours. Doctors do not recommend deviating from these parameters, since the body is harmed not only by lack of sleep, but also by excessive sleep.
Unfortunately, today, in the hustle and bustle of the city, few people can boast of good sleep. Frequent problems and conflicts at work and in the family, responsibilities that need to be dealt with on time and countless everyday problems take their toll. Some people do not have enough time for proper sleep because they are too busy, and many suffer from various sleep disorders.
THE PROBLEM OF INTERRUPTED SLEEP
One of the forms of insomnia that is often encountered, mainly by city residents, is interrupted sleep. People suffering from this disease can fall asleep without problems in a relatively short time after going to bed, but in the process their sleep becomes very light and restless. For no apparent reason, a person wakes up in the middle of the night (usually at the same time), while feeling tense, as if those few hours of sleep had never happened. The state of wakefulness can last from several minutes until the morning, when you need to get ready for work. Often this condition is accompanied by a feeling of anxiety and excitement. A person is nervous due to his inability to sleep normally, and negative thoughts are swarming in his head. In some cases, such awakenings occur several times a night, which does not allow a person to properly rest and regain his strength. As a result, we wake up already tired and get out of bed simply because we need to go to work.
WHAT DOES INTERRUPTED SLEEP THREATEN?
Intermittent sleep, as well as insomnia, in the traditional sense of the word, does not allow a person to get enough sleep. As you know, sleep is the time when the body intensively processes the information received during the day and harmonizes the work of all body systems. If you deprive the body of quality sleep, then the entire body is disabled. People suffering from certain sleep disorders (including interrupted sleep) may experience deterioration in cardiovascular activity, nervous disorders, and a decrease in immune defense, as a result of which the body becomes more vulnerable to viral diseases. In the autumn-winter period, such people are more likely than others to suffer from ARVI, and their recovery period lasts longer due to the body’s low compensatory capabilities.
According to medical observations, people suffering from interrupted sleep are more susceptible to sleepwalking. One of the components of the treatment of such patients is maintaining regular, adequate sleep, which significantly reduces the frequency of sleepwalking attacks. In addition, recent research shows that interrupted sleep negatively affects a person's memory, as well as the ability to think clearly.
HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM?
If you are concerned about the problem of interrupted sleep, then first of all you should adjust your lifestyle. Try to go to bed at the same time every day. At first, you won’t be able to do this well; you won’t be able to fall asleep for a long time, tossing and turning in bed, but over time, your body will get used to the new regime. The last meal should be no later than 2 hours before bedtime.
Evening walks and airing the room have a positive effect on sleep. If the weather permits, then leave the window open at night, so your sleep will be stronger and healthier.
Treatment of insomnia with folk remedies
Treatment of insomnia with folk remedies. If you have poor sleep, you are tormented by insomnia, you toss and turn in bed for a long time and cannot fall asleep - folk recipes for good sleep will help you. Insomnia can also occur in healthy people due to overwork or mental agitation. Insomnia is more common among people who do mental work. If insomnia caused by any serious illness, you should consult a doctor to eliminate the cause of the sleep disorder.
If sleep problems are associated with nervous excitement, you can use traditional medicine. It is better to sleep on your stomach, with your hands under a low pillow (if you do not have hypertension), and your face turned to the left. Relaxation in this position is more effective, probably because it is the natural position in which children sleep. It is also useful to sleep on the left side - to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In order to be healthy, a person must rest well.
Due to everyday stress, which has already become a habit, our sleep cannot be called healthy. More than 25% of our planet's population complains of insomnia and chronic fatigue, regardless of where they work and live. There are many ways to keep the nervous system in good shape - from coffee to energy drinks, but the best medicine was and remains sleep, during which the body recovers and replenishes energy reserves.
Solving a problem with the help of drugs is not a method, but a trap that causes dependence and addiction, and further destroys the nervous system.
To fall asleep quickly you need develop a certain bedtime ritual and stick to it: ventilate the room, take a shower, go to bed at the same time, etc.
Diet and daily routine are excellent remedies for insomnia
The main means by which you can get rid of insomnia, are daily routine and proper nutrition. By adhering to a routine, we get closer to natural biological rhythms, and the process of falling asleep at the allotted time is much easier. American scientists have discovered that people suffering from insomnia have lower levels of tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes the production of hormones necessary for falling asleep - melatonin and serotonin. These substances help relieve nervous tension and relax muscles.
Turkey meat contains the most tryptophan, and if you do not mix it with carbohydrates, it will be a wonderful dinner, after which it will be easier to fall asleep. Oatmeal for dinner will make you feel full and warm; it contains a lot of melatonin, which is called the sleep hormone. To enhance the effect, you can add milk and honey. Milk contains a lot of tryptophan, and honey is an excellent folk sedative. A piece of wholemeal bread will increase the production of insulin, which helps convert tryptophan into serotonin. Very calming: baked potatoes, broccoli, wild or brown rice, bananas and kiwi for dinner. As for the daily routine, it is better to go to bed no later than 22:00 and get up before sunrise.
Folk remedies for insomnia
- Fill the pillow with mint, geranium, oregano, fern, laurel, hazel leaves, pine needles, rose petals.
- Eat 1 onion at night. Onions are considered a sedative with hypnotic properties.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of honey in 1 glass of warm water and drink at night.
- Before going to bed, apply lavender oil to your whiskey.
- Place 3-5 drops of lavender oil on a piece of sugar and suck before bed.
- Hot foot baths at night relieve fatigue and calm the nervous system.
- Take pine baths or baths with infusions of calendula, mint, oregano, lemon balm; the duration of the procedure is 10 minutes.
- Grind 2 tablespoons of hop cones and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, strain. Drink 0.25 glasses 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of crushed rhizomes with valerian roots with 1 glass of boiling water, leave. Take 2 tablespoons 4 times a day.
- Inhale the scent of valerian or valerian root infusion.
- Take pharmaceutical tincture of peony root 3 times a day, 1 teaspoon.
- Pour 4 tablespoons of dried motherwort herb into 1 cup of boiling water and leave in a thermos for 2 hours. Drink 0.3 cups warm 30 minutes before meals.
- Pharmacy tincture of Manchurian aralia, take 40 drops 3 times a day.
- Finely crush 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds, sift, pour 1 glass of hot boiled water. Leave, wrapped, for 30-40 minutes. Drink 0.5 glass 2 hours before bedtime. Then, after 1 hour, the rest along with the sediment (necessarily warm). The course of treatment is 2 weeks. Can also be taken for occasional insomnia.
- Pour 100 g of crushed hawthorn fruits with 2 glasses of water, simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, cool, strain. Take 50-100 ml 3 times a day after meals.
- Mix hawthorn tincture with 20% alcohol tincture of propolis. Take 20 drops 2-3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.
- Take rhizomes with valerian roots and hop cones in equal proportions, pour 1 glass of boiling water, leave. Drink like tea with honey at night.
- Take equal parts of rhizomes with valerian roots, motherwort herb, dill seed and caraway seed. Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture with 1 cup of boiling water. Leave for 30 minutes. Drink 0.5 cups 2-3 times a day. This tea has a calming effect.
- Mix 1 teaspoon lemon balm herb and 1 teaspoon orange peel. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over this mixture and close tightly. Leave for 10 minutes, strain, add 1 teaspoon of valerian tincture. Take 1 glass 2-3 times a day along with natural honey (eat the honey without dissolving it in the tincture). This tea has a calming effect.
- Take lemon balm herb, mint leaf, and oregano herb in equal parts. Pour 3 tablespoons of the mixture into 0.5 liters of boiling water and leave in a thermos for 8 hours. Take 1 glass 3 times a day.
- Take 2 parts of three-leaf leaves, 1 part of rhizomes with roots of valerian officinalis and a peppermint leaf. Pour 2 tablespoons of the dry crushed mixture into a thermos with 0.5 liters of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Drink 0.5 glasses 2-3 times a day for nervous overexcitation and insomnia.
- Take equal parts by weight of veronica herb, fragrant violet herb, lavender flowers, lemon balm leaf, barberry fruits. Pour 1 tablespoon of the mixture into 1 cup of boiling water and leave until cool. Take 1-2 glasses of infusion in the evening for insomnia.
- Take in equal parts blood-red hawthorn flowers, rhizomes with roots of valerian officinalis, peppermint leaf, white mistletoe herb, motherwort herb. Pour 1 tablespoon of the mixture with 1 glass of water, bring to a boil, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Drink 1 glass in the morning and at night for increased irritability and insomnia.
- Take 20 g of coriander fruit, lemon balm leaf, peppermint leaf. Infuse the entire amount of raw material in a mixture of 100 ml of pure alcohol and 20 ml of water. Strain after 24 hours and squeeze out the raw materials; Apply a handkerchief moistened with tincture to the temples and the back of the head for insomnia and headaches.
- Take by weight 2 parts each of peppermint leaf and water trefoil leaf, 3 parts each of angelica root and rhizomes with valerian roots. Brew 1 tablespoon of the mixture in 1 glass of boiling water, strain after 1 hour and drink 0.3 glasses 3 times a day.
- Take equal parts by weight of fennel fruits, caraway fruits, motherwort herb and rhizomes with valerian roots. Brew 1 tablespoon of the mixture in 1 glass of boiling water, strain after 1 hour and drink 0.3 glasses 3 times a day.
- Take hop cones, rhizomes with valerian roots, lemon balm leaf, juniper fruits, horsetail herb in equal parts by weight. Pour 1 tablespoon of the mixture into 1 cup of boiling water and leave until cool. Take 1-2 glasses of infusion in the evening.
- Take by weight 1 part each of hop cones and peppermint leaves, 2 parts each of lemon balm leaf, chamomile flowers, buckthorn bark, rhizomes with valerian roots. Prepare a decoction of 1 tablespoon of the collection in 1 glass of cold water. Take 1-2 glasses at night.
- Take by weight 1 part of hop cones and rhizomes with valerian roots, 2 parts of peppermint leaf and water trefoil leaf. Brew 1 tablespoon of the mixture in 1 glass of boiling water, strain after 1 hour and drink 0.3 glasses 3 times a day.
- Mix 3 tsp. herbs thyme, motherwort and oregano and 2 tsp. valerian root. Then 1 tbsp. l. collection, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes. Strain and drink 1/3 cup before meals throughout the day.
- Tea with oregano, mint, and hawthorn soothes the nervous system. You can make a tincture from these same herbs. Fresh herbs are torn and kneaded by hand.
- Fill a liter jar with them to the middle. Then fill it to the top with vodka and leave for two weeks. Take 1 tsp. an hour before meals. Course -1 week
For those who have frayed nerves and suffer from insomnia and hypertension, there is the following folk recipe: You should buy alcoholic tinctures of valerian, motherwort, hawthorn and Corvalol (the same number of milliliters) at the pharmacy and pour them into one dark glass bottle. The potion is ready! Directions: dilute a teaspoon in 1/3 glass of warm water and take 3 times a day for a month. Then rest for a month and repeat twice more.
Sleep is the body’s natural, basic need for rest. Up to a third of a person’s entire life passes in this state; the health and capabilities of each individual depend on its quality and duration. In the modern era, not everyone can boast of really good sleep - stress, problems, bad habits, big city noises, mental disorders and other reasons disrupt regular, much-needed circadian rhythms, which leads to a significant deterioration in a person’s quality of life. What to do? You will find the answer to the question below.
Common causes of sleep disturbances
Doctors know about hundreds of different causes of sleep disorders. Some of them can act as an independent factor, while others have a negative impact on the quality of night rest only in the aggregate.
All such reasons are conventionally divided into two large categories– external and internal. The former are often physiological, while the latter are predominantly associated with diseases.
Non-medical causes of poor sleep include:
- Chronic lack of sleep. Constant disruption of the normal rhythms of activity and rest in the direction of increasing the duration of wakefulness can lead to poor sleep, even after returning to the usual pattern of life, and for a long period of time;
- Poorly organized sleeping area. An insufficiently comfortable mattress, an anatomically poorly designed pillow, too high or low humidity in the room, stale air in the bedroom and other factors in this spectrum can affect the quality of sleep;
- Alcoholism. Often, constant use of alcoholic beverages or drugs causes various sleep disorders;
- Poor nutrition. Eating a large amount of food before bed, night snacks - all this forces the stomach to work for a period of time when the body should rest;
- Age-related changes. Hormonal changes in the body during adolescence, pregnancy, and also during aging very often lead to poor sleep.
Medical causes of poor sleep. There are quite a large number of diseases, syndromes and pathogenic conditions of the body, against the background of which various sleep disturbances occur - both the process of falling asleep and, in fact, the night's rest itself. Let's name the most famous and significant among them:
- Mental illnesses and disorders. This large subgroup includes various phobias, autism, transient psychoses, bulimia, epilepsy, psychopathy, dementia, dissocial personality disorders, depression and related stress, wide-spectrum amnesia, dissociative spectrum disorders, catatonia, manic-depressive psychosis, neuroses, paranoia , borderline conditions and much more;
- Taking a number of medications. Regular use of a huge range of medications, as well as their sudden withdrawal, leads to poor sleep. This is especially true for drugs that depress or stimulate the central nervous system, sleeping pills and sedatives;
- Breathing disorders. Obstructive sleep apnea, depressed alveolar ventilation, other causes of this spectrum that cause short-term disturbances in the breathing process during sleep;
- Pain syndrome of various etiologies;
- Enuresis;
- Somnambulism;
- Other medical reasons.
What to do if you can’t sleep at night, how to restore sleep?
If poor sleep at night has a regular basis and problems with night rest continue for more than two weeks, then you need to pay close attention to this fact. The best option is a full examination by medical specialists who will help make a diagnosis and find the true cause of insomnia.
If you are sure that poor sleep is not due to medical reasons, but is caused by a physiological manifestation or external factors, then you can resort to a number of general recommendations and try to restore it yourself.
If the recommendations described below do not give the desired effect, it is imperative to undergo a medical examination.
Daily and sleep routine
- If you don’t sleep well at night, try not to go to bed during the day, but wait until the evening and then get full rest - the normal fatigue accumulated during the day will allow you to quickly get into the rhythm of night rest;
- Get rid of extraneous thoughts from your head about the impossibility of a good sleep, get ready to rest properly;
This article is often read with:
- Try to go to bed early, the deadline is around 10 pm. The average duration of healthy sleep is about 8-9 hours, so by 7-8 you will wake up alert and rested. The most active recovery process at the physiological level occurs in humans during the period from 23 to 1 am - be sure to rest during this period;
- Don’t put off everything until the evening; try to resolve conflicting, domestic, and financial issues before 5 p.m.
Bad habits
A number of bad habits can negatively impact the quality of your sleep.
- Alcohol. Regular consumption of alcohol leads to sleep disturbances and disrupts normal circadian rhythms, preventing you from resting comfortably at night;
- Caffeine. Coffee and strong black tea contain invigorating tannins - an extra cup of such a drink before bed will significantly delay the time it takes to fall asleep;
- Tobacco smoking. It dries out the mucous membranes, which in turn worsens breathing during sleep and provokes snoring. In addition, the bad habit of getting up in the middle of the night for a smoke break disrupts the normal cycles of short and long sleep phases, which leads to corresponding disturbances;
- Drugs. A wide range of drugs cause mental disorders - the underlying cause of multiple sleep and wakefulness disorders.
Exercise to improve sleep
Modern medical statistics show that regular exercise improves sleep. At the same time, physical activity must be correct. Main points:
- An hour's morning run;
- During the daytime - regularly getting up from the workplace, doing a 15-minute warm-up, every 1.5-2 hours;
- In the evening, 2 hours before bedtime, do moderate cardio exercise, no more than 40 minutes. Alternatively, they can be replaced by walking in fresh air;
- 30 minutes before bedtime – yoga classes, about half an hour with a mandatory pose of relaxation and renunciation;
- Immediately before a night's rest, physical activity is not recommended to avoid increased excitability.
Proper nutrition for a good night's sleep
One of the global problems of modern civilization is an incorrect diet, caused by an acute lack of time for the systematic preparation of necessary dishes, as well as the abundance of unhealthy food available.
Poor nutrition is often a major factor in poor sleep.
What power plan is optimal in this situation??:
- A balanced daily diet containing no more than 2.5 thousand calories;
- Approximately equal content of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in the products. At the same time, it is worth reducing the consumption of simple carbohydrates, replacing them with complex ones, and also eliminating products saturated with trans fats, choosing lighter dishes;
- The nutritional plan is fractional, the daily norm is distributed over at least 5 meals. Lunch and breakfast should be the most dense;
- In the evening, limit yourself to a light dinner based on vegetables and fruits, do not eat food less than 3 hours before going to bed;
- Eliminate overly fried and salty foods, marinades, fatty sauces, coffee and tea from your diet at night. Give preference to greens, apples, fresh juices.
Water treatments
An additional stimulant for high-quality, healthy and long sleep is water procedures. How to organize them correctly?
- It is advisable to bathe 1-1.5 hours before the expected night's rest;
- The best option for ablution is a bath, or at least a 15-minute shower;
- The temperature of the water is moderate, without changes, located in the maximum comfort zone for humans. Contrast ablutions, which stimulate the nervous system, are not recommended;
- As a supplement, you can use aromatic oils based on chamomile, lemon balm, cedar, and peach;
- After water procedures, you need to dry yourself thoroughly, and if possible, perform a general relaxing massage.
Folk remedies for restoring sleep
Traditional medicine is very rich in recipes against insomnia. The following remedies can only be used after prior consultation with a doctor.
- Brew 2 teaspoons of fresh hop cones in one glass of hot water. Place in a steam bath and simmer for 10 minutes. Wrap the container, let it brew for 3 hours, then strain the broth and consume the entire glass 1 hour before bedtime;
- Lavender oil. Pour 5 drops of lavender oil onto a piece of pressed sugar and place it in your mouth, slowly dissolving it half an hour before going to bed. Immediately before a night's rest, lubricate your whiskey with the same oil - 1 drop on each side, rub in circular movements, first clockwise, and then vice versa (15 times);
- Take 50 grams of dill seeds, pour 0.5 liters of wine (preferably Cahors) over them and place on low heat, where they simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the stove, cover the container and let it brew for 1 hour, then strain and take 50 grams of the product every day before bed.
Sleeping pills
Modern pharmacological corporations offer everyone a huge selection of a wide variety of drugs against insomnia, which, according to manufacturers, reliably and effectively counteract sleep disorders.
As practice shows, some drugs can negatively affect the human body and psyche.
- Medicines that slow down the central nervous system. Classic GABA drugs based on gamma-aminobutyric acid, which slows down the functioning of neurotransmitters. In modern practice, they are not used to treat common sleep disorders due to the large number of side effects and strong negative impact on the functioning of the central nervous system. A typical representative is Aminalon;
- Barbiturates. They have a relaxing, anticonvulsant and hypnotic effect. They are highly effective, but disrupt the REM sleep phase and become addictive if taken for a long time. A typical representative is Barboval;
- Benzodiazepines. Very effective, they directly affect the sleep center in the brain, but at the same time shorten the deep sleep phase and cause lethargy during the day. The latest generation of this group (Donormil, etc.) do not have such side effects, but can only be used for a short period of time (otherwise they lose effectiveness), providing deep and relatively healthy sleep. Typical representatives are Diazepam, Lorazepam;
- Melatonin-based medications. Hormonal drugs, usually prescribed to older people. Due to the lack of this element, sleep may be disturbed. The therapeutic effect is average and appears only with systemic, regular use. A typical representative is Melaxen;
- Herbal preparations. A large group of herbal medicines provides a natural improvement in sleep without affecting the central nervous system or causing pathologies. The obvious disadvantage of this group is its weak impact. The vast majority of representatives belong to homeopathy and dietary supplements, and can only be used as an addition to the main therapy aimed at combating the causes of insomnia. Typical representatives are Novo Passit, Persen.
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